Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[ysw1990]

Hi! I'm from Korea.

While I was finding information about a band, I found myself that

I couldn't understand this sentence:

While Garrity was the guitarist, the band was arrested and jailed in

Roland, Oklahoma for alleged marijuana charges, also for "illegally

imported" beer and for an open beer can.




1. First of all, does this sentence means that 'the band' committed a crime

or only informs that 'the band' might have committed a crime for

marijuana charges? I'm confused because of the word, 'alleged'.

2. What is open beer can? I cannot find any reliable information regarding

it.





Please help me!!!

[Lorikeet]

Newspapers often use the words "alleged" when describing why people were arresting, because a person is assumed to be innocent until proven guilty, so at the time that sentence was made, their guilt was apparently not proven yet.

An open beer can is a beer can that has some beer in it and that people have been drinking from. In at least some states, it is illegal to have open bottles or cans of alcohol in a car. (I think you could have them in the trunk.)